Most Woodward Dream Cruise drivers know where to get fuel for their cars but finding fuel for oneself? That can be a mighty task especially for visitors who might not know the area. With that in mind, we assembled a group of experts, a drive-in diners dream team if you will, who not only have years of cruising experience but know the hot, cool and spicy spots along Woodward.

Then we went for a drive.

Taking the helm as captain and driver for the mission was Bob Leslie.

The CPA and owner of Carabell & Leslie in Mount Clemens graduated from Michigan State University, worked his way up the corporate ladder and became owner of the company that hired him. He never drove a cool car as a teen — unless you consider a VW van to be all that — but he now owns a classic 1962 Ford Sunliner (formerly owned by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan).

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“I bought this car in 1990,” Leslie said, putting the top up seeing the dark clouds overhead. “It was just one of those things — when a car strikes your fancy — it just happened. I loved the lines of it. It’s really been a good car.”

Riding shotgun and providing colorful car commentaries along the route was John Vermeersch, owner of Total Performance in Clinton Township. If you want to know anything about Ford vehicles or old cars, he’s your guy. Even Jay Leno knows Vermeersch, who has provided the late night TV host with a few of the cars parked in his Hollywood garage.

As with any good team, someone has to be the brains of the outfit. For us it was Thomas Phipps, owner of Columbia Marking Tools in Chesterfield Township. Phipps is in the business of manufacturing hand stamps and his marking patents are known by members of the industry worldwide. For his part, Phipps created a master list of popular eateries from downtown Pontiac to the Detroit Zoo. He based it on he and his wife Janet’s own experience as Dream cruisers (they drive a Ford GT40) and local reviews.

Armed with Phipps’ list, our team hit the road.

Downtown Pontiac

The team traveled the north end of the cruise, working its way down, letting appetite and access to parking lead the way. “On the day of the cruise parking is at a premium,” said Leslie, so keep that in mind. Some of the restaurants have larger lots or valet parking.

As with many classic car owners, Leslie never eats in his car. “It’s all original, the seats and carpeting,” he said.

“Some people used to cover their seats with plastic,” Vermeersch added, for the purpose of preserving its value for resale. “My dad could never figure out why anyone would want to keep their seats pretty for the next guy.”

Tailgating the lead car were the Phipps, their GT40 purred — not like a kitten but more like a Cheetah ready to pounce. “Ford built that car in 1965 to beat the Ferrari at Le Mans (the world’s most prestigious race) and for three or four years won,” Vermeersch said. “It goes from zero to 220 in about 10 seconds.”

By the late 1990s, Ford was bitten by the nostalgia bug and looking to cater to the Baby Boomers. So, the company came out with a street version (sort of) of the car. Phipps and Leno are among the 15,000 drivers who managed to nab one of the 4,000 made. Yep, its price tag could pay for several drive-in diners.

Speaking of ... there’s Kerby’s Coney Island (43061 Woodward), said Vermeersch. “This is where the first bit of activity would be during the cruise.”

There’s also Fuddruckers and Cold Stone Creamery on the right side of the road, while heading out of Pontiac, south on Woodward. Fuddruckers is good for burgers and if it’s a hot day nothing beats a scoop of ice cream.

“After that you have a long stretch of road with nothing much,” Vermeersch said.

During the lull, Leslie and Vermeersch came up with their top 10 things to pack for a cruise.

1. Bottled water.

2. Beverages of some kind (beer cannot be out in the open).

3. Rain coat or poncho.

4. Sweater or jacket (cool with the top down).

5. Suntan lotion (hot with the top down).

6. Umbrella.

7. Comfortable shoes and socks.

8. Pain reliever.

9. Sunglasses.

10. Camera.

Bloomfield Hills

“There’s the Radisson Hotel (39475 Woodward),” Leslie said, referring to the hotel and restaurant. It’s going to be pricey but a nice place for dinner and if you book it early enough, a comfortable place to stay during the cruise.

“Then there’s Cranbrook Institute (39221 Woodward),” Vermeersch said. “It might be a nice place to visit with the kids.”

Leslie concurred.

“Some of your passengers might not be interested in the cars but enjoy the cruise,” Leslie said. In that case, Cranbrook is one interesting stop, another is downtown Birmingham. Just veer to the right when you see the sign for Old Woodward and take it to the downtown area. “Birmingham has lots of shops and restaurants,” Leslie said. With steakhouses, crepe shops, Italian and Mexican, there is an abundance of restaurants. However, on the day of the cruise, parking will be difficult, so cruise slow and keep your eyes out for openings. Here’s why they recommend comfortable shoes. You’ll need to park and walk a little.

Royal Oak

At this point the cruise will be hopping with activity so you’ll need to watch for special attractions put on by local groups and communities.

“Athens (32657 Woodward) is another great spot if you like Coney islands,” Vermeersch said. “They have 30 different flavors of hot dogs from around the country. If you like sandwiches (hearty sandwiches) there’s Potbelly Sandwich Shop (31991 Woodward).”

We stopped at Duggans Irish Pub, as it is the place to hit for great food and a truly traditional Woodward Dream Cruise experience (31501 Woodward).

“We come here all of the time,” said Janet Phipps, taking a seat next to her husband and fellow dream team members. All around them was car town memorabilia. “They have a balcony here. It’s really nice because you can look down on the street and see the cruisers.”

Leslie and Vermeersch agreed before ordering lunch.

Selections recommended by the group included a round of Little Chief Burgers ($6.99) with fries and coleslaw; cup of clam chowder ($3.50), a ginormous piece of key lime pie ($3.50) and a round of Powers root beer ($2.25).

“My dad started Duggans in 1984,” said Larry Payne, who took over the business from his father. “One of the things we’re known for is the ‘Big Chief Burger.’”

The Big Chief Burger was a specialty item served by the Totem Pole restaurant of years ago. When Payne started Duggans he purchased the franchise’s secret recipe for the Big Chief, as well as others including the secret to Susie Q’s great fish sandwich ($8.50). If you love their secret sauce, they sell it by the jar. Vermeersch recommended trying it on your eggs.

Everyone enjoyed Duggans — which will have valet parking available on cruise day. The cost is $15 but it’s worth the experience and alternative to driving around aimlessly looking for a spot.

Another optionto try is the Redcoat Tavern (31542 Woodward) across the street.

“They’re well known for their burgers too,” Leslie said, pulling out of Duggans and heading for the Detroit Zoo, where team members recommended a visit and possibly a picnic lunch.

Before reaching the Detroit Zoo, the team passed Vinsetta Garage (27799 Woodward) in Berkley, a garage formerly frequented by classic car owners that was sold and turned into a restaurant. The reviews looked favorable.“No grease but lots of engines,” said one. “It would be interesting, that’s for sure,” Vermeersch said.

Time did not allow the team to hit all of the spots on the list so here they are and what cruisers love about them:

* Como’s Pizza in Ferndale (pizza and everything else, patio and location to live bands and Mustang Alley)

* Woodward Avenue Brewers, Ferndale (soups, salads, Mexican and beer)

* Anita’s Kitchen, Ferndale (Middle Eastern cuisine)

Gina Joseph is a reporter and columnist for The Macomb Daily and Daily Tribune. Send comments to gina.joseph@macombdaily.com, follow her on twitter @ginaljoseph and visit her beat blog at macomblife.blogspot.com.